Qidonghuoxue Decoction Ameliorates Pulmonary Edema in Acute Lung Injury Mice through the Upregulation of Epithelial Sodium Channel and Aquaporin-1

Activation of Pink1/Parkin-mediated mitochondrial autophagy alleviates exertional heat stroke-induced acute lung injury in rats

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the role of Pink1/Parkin-mediated mitochondrial autophagy in exertional heat stroke-induced acute lung injury in rats.

METHODS

Sixty SD rats were divided into four groups: normal group (CON group), normal Parkin overexpression group (CON + Parkin group), exertional heat stroke group (EHS group), and exertional heat stroke Parkin overexpression group (EHS + Parkin group). Adeno-associated virus carrying the Parkin gene was intravenously injected into the rats to overexpress Parkin in the lung tissue. An exertional heat stroke rat model was established, and survival curves were plotted. Lung micro-CT was performed, and lung coefficient and pulmonary microvascular permeability were measured.

RESULTS

Compared with the EHS group, the survival rate of rats in the EHS + Parkin overexpression group was significantly increased, lung coefficient and pulmonary microvascular permeability were reduced, and pathological changes such as exudation and consolidation were significantly reduced. The levels of inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-1β, TNF- α, and ROS were significantly decreased; the degree of mitochondrial swelling in type II alveolar epithelial cells was reduced, and no vacuolization was observed. Lung tissue apoptosis was reduced, and the colocalization fluorescence of Pink1 and Parkin, as well as LC3 and Tom20, were increased. The expression of Parkin and LC3-II/LC3-I ratio in lung tissue were both increased, while the expression of P62, Pink1, MFN2, and PTEN-L was decreased.

CONCLUSION

Impairment of Pink1/Parkin-mediated mitochondrial autophagy function is one of the mechanisms of exertional heat stroke-induced acute lung injury in rats. Activation of the Pink1/Parkin pathway can alleviate acute lung injury caused by exertional heat stroke.

Qi-Dong-Huo-Xue-Yin balances the immune microenvironment to protect against LPS induced acute lung injury

COVID-19 induces acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and leads to severe immunological changes that threatens the lives of COVID-19 victims. Studies have shown that both the regulatory T cells and macrophages were deranged in COVID-19-induced ALI. Herbal drugs have long been utilized to adjust the immune microenvironment in ALI. However, the underlying mechanisms of herbal drug mediated ALI protection are largely unknown. This study aims to understand the cellular mechanism of a traditional Chinese medicine, Qi-Dong-Huo-Xue-Yin (QD), in protecting against LPS induced acute lung injury in mouse models. Our data showed that QD intrinsically promotes Foxp3 transcription via promoting acetylation of the Foxp3 promoter in CD4⁺ T cells and consequently facilitates CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ Tregs development. Extrinsically, QD stabilized β-catenin in macrophages to expedite CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ Tregs development and modulated peripheral blood cytokines. Taken together, our results illustrate that QD promotes CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ Tregs development via intrinsic and extrinsic pathways and balanced cytokines within the lungs to protect against LPS induced ALI. This study suggests a potential application of QD in ALI related diseases.

XinLi formula, a traditional Chinese decoction, alleviates chronic heart failure via regulating the interaction of AGTR1 and AQP1

BACKGROUND

XinLi formula (XLF) is a traditional Chinese medicine used in clinical practice to treat chronic heart failure (CHF) in humans, with remarkable curative effect. However, the mechanism remains unknown.

PURPOSE

The goal of the current investigation was to determine how XLF affected CHF in a rat model of the condition brought on by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery, and to investigate the underlying mechanism.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Cardiac function was detected by echocardiography. The contents of myocardial enzymes, Ang II, ALD, TGF-β1, and inflammatory factors were measured by ELISA. Myocardial injury and myocardial fibrosis were evaluated by HE and Masson staining. Myocardial edema was assessed by cardiac mass index and transmission electron microscopy. Using Western blot and immunohistochemistry to examining the protein expression of inflammasome, TGF-β1, AGTR1, and AQP1 in the left ventricle. Furthermore, the interaction of AGTR1 and AQP1 was evaluated by co-immunoprecipitation.

RESULTS

XLF attenuated myocardial enzymes and myocardial injury, and improved cardiac function in rats with CHF after myocardial infarction. It also reduced Ang II and ALD levels in CHF rats, and suppressed the expression of AGTR1 and TGF-β1, finally alleviated myocardial fibrosis. By mechanism, XLF inhibited the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome proteins, reduced the plasma contents of IL-1β, IL-18, IL-6 and TNF-α. Additionally, XLF inhibited the expression of AQP1 and the interaction of AGTR1 and AQP1, alleviating myocardial edema. The common structure of the main chemical constituents of XLF were glycoside compounds with glycosyl.

CONCLUSION

XLF ameliorated CHF, which was evidenced by the alleviation of myocardial fibrosis by inhibiting AGTR1/NLRP3 signal, as well as the attenuation of myocardial edema by suppressing the interaction of AGTR1 and AQP1.

Aerosol-Administered Adelmidrol Attenuates Lung Inflammation in a Murine Model of Acute Lung Injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a common and devastating clinical disorder with a high mortality rate and no specific therapy. The pathophysiology of ALI is characterized by increased alveolar/capillary permeability, lung inflammation, oxidative stress and structural damage to lung tissues, which can progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Adelmidrol (ADM), an analogue of palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions, which are mainly due to down-modulating mast cells (MCs) and promoting endogenous antioxidant defense. The aim of this study is to evaluate the protective effects of ADM in a mice model of ALI, induced by intratracheal administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at the dose of 5 mg/kg. ADM 2% was administered by aerosol 1 and 6 h after LPS instillation. In this study, we clearly demonstrated that ADM reduced lung damage and airway infiltration induced by LPS instillation. At the same time, ADM counteracted the increase in MC number and the expression of specific markers of MC activation, i.e., chymase and tryptase. Moreover, ADM reduced oxidative stress by upregulating antioxidant enzymes as well as modulating the Nf-kB pathway and the resulting pro-inflammatory cytokine release. These results suggest that ADM could be a potential candidate in the management of ALI.

Inhibition of Inflammation and Regulation of AQPs/ENaCs/Na+-K+-ATPase Mediated Alveolar Fluid Transport by Total Flavonoids Extracted From Nervilia fordii in Lipopolysaccharide-induced Acute Lung Injury

Aims: The occurrence of vascular permeability pulmonary edema in acute lung injury (ALI) is related to the imbalance of alveolar fluid transport. Regulating the active transport of alveolar fluid by aquaporins (AQPs), epithelial sodium channels (ENaCs), and Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase can effectively reduce the edema fluid in the alveolar cavity and protect against ALI. We evaluated the therapeutic effects of total flavonoids, extracted from Nervilia fordii (TFENF), and investigated its potential mechanisms of alveolar fluid transport in a rat ALI model. Materials and methods: A model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5 mg/kg)-induced ALI was established in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats through the arteriae dorsalis penis. SD rats were divided into six groups, including the vehicle, LPS model, TFENF (6 mg/kg, 12 mg/kg, 24 mg/kg), and dexamethasone group (DEX group, 5 mg/kg). The wet-to-dry (W/D) lung weight ratio, oxygenation index, and histopathological observation were used to evaluate the therapeutic effect of TFENF. The mRNA expression of AQPs, ENaCs, and pro-inflammatory cytokines was determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction, whereas protein expression was determined using immunohistochemistry. The Na ⁺ -K ⁺ -ATPase activity was assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: LPS significantly stimulated the production of inflammatory mediators including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β, and disrupted the water transport balance in the alveolar cavity by inhibiting AQPs/ENaCs/Na ⁺ -K ⁺ -ATPase. Pretreatment with TFENF reduced the pathological damage and W/D ratio of the lungs and ameliorated the arterial blood oxygen partial pressure (PaO₂) and oxygenation index. TFENF further decreased the mRNA level of TNF-α and IL-1β; increased the expression of AQP-1, AQP-5, αENaC, and βENaC; and increased Na ⁺ -K ⁺ -ATPase activity. Moreover, the regulation of AQPs, βENaC, and Na ⁺ -K ⁺ -ATPase and the inhibition of TNF-α and IL-1β by TFENF were found to be dose dependent. Conclusion: TFENF protects against LPS-induced ALI, at least in part, through the suppression of inflammatory cytokines and regulation of the active transport capacity of AQPs/ENaCs/Na ⁺ -K ⁺ -ATPase. These findings suggest the therapeutic potential of TFENF as phytomedicine to treat inflammation and pulmonary edema in ALI.